SHOES YOU CAN USE: DID MARBURY GAMBLE AND LOSE ON SHOE DEAL?

T-Wolves G Stephon Marbury "bet that he could double or
triple the estimated" $1.5M a year he was to receive for
wearing AND 1 shoes, but found "no takers" after agent Eric
Fleisher "peddled him all spring and summer to just about
every large athletic footwear manufacturer in the business,"
according to Jeff Manning of the Portland OREGONIAN. Nike
spokesperson Vizhier Mooney: "We do think [Marbury] is a
great athlete. But in this environment we just have to
exercise more discipline in signing new players." Manning
called Marbury's situation "the most stunning sign to date
of just how drastically the endorsement business has changed
for athletes." Fleisher, who Marbury dropped early this
month for David Falk, said that Marbury rejected "more than
one firm offer." Reebok offered him "between $750,000 and
$900,000 a year, [but] no signature shoe," and asked him to
wear their Allen Iverson model. Reebok VP/Sports Marketing
John Frascotti said that NBA "starters who drew $300,000 to
$700,000 just last year can now expect annual" shoe deals of
$50,000 to $150,000 (Portland OREGONIAN, 10/31).
LOCKOUT FALLOUT: Sporting Goods Intelligence Editor Bob
McGee, on the effects of the lockout on the athletic shoe
industry: "It hasn't reached the proportion where people
are signalling the death knell for basketball, but it won't
help its revival." Venator Group spokesperson Juris
Pagrabs: "If the lockout is prolonged, we'd expect it to be
negative to our business" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 10/26).